Sin tax driving us across the border to shop
Presently there are three sins that we are taxed heavily on in comparison to the U.S. side of the border.
The three sins are alcohol, tobacco, and gasoline. The equation of alcohol + tobacco + gasoline = cbs. CBS stands for cross border shopping. A 750ml of Jack Daniels Master Distiller Series #1 sells for $42.99 in B.C. This same bottle sells for $33.00 U.S. across the border in Washington state. A 25 pack of cigarettes in B.C. has a tobacco tax of $6.88 in comparison to $3.78 U.S. in Washington state. Included in the cost of gasoline in B.C. is taxes of 33 cents per litre of gasoline in comparison to 36 cents U.S. per one imperial gallon in Washington state. One U.S. gallon equals 3.78 litres.
If our government on this side of the border would lower the taxes we pay on the three sins, we could eliminate cross border shopping on a regular basis and spend our dollars in our own economy. Cross border shopping would only exist when we go on vacation across the border. Just simple plain economics, but with our present taxes, the government is driving us to spend our dollars outside of our country. Unbelievable!
Joe Sawchuk
Duncan